Award

ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES

  • North Hertfordshire District Council

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-027344

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0495cb

Published 27 August 2024, 4:36pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

North Hertfordshire District Council

Council Offices,Gernon Road

LETCHWORTH

SG63JF

Contact

Procurement Team

Email

Procurement.Team@north-herts.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1462474000

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKH23 - Hertfordshire

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.north-herts.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES

Reference number

NHDC 202211-03

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 31158100 - Battery chargers

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

Procurement of EV Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) in North Hertfordshire.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £2,440,000

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 31158100 - Battery chargers

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKH - East of England

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 1: procurement of a chargepoint operator who can work with the Council under a Concession Contract to prepare an OZEV ORCS bid based on 60 % funding (capped at £7500 per Chargepoint), supply the Electric Vehicle Chargepoints (EVCP) and secure the remaining 40% of the required funding.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Cost criterion - Name: Commercial Cost / Weighting: 20

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 31158000 - Chargers

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKH - East of England

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 2: includes the transfer of ownership and replacement of existing EVCP in Council car parks to the appointed Concessionaire. The provision of an additional EV unit is also required in one of the Council car parks to be reserved for use by the Council's fleet vehicles.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Cost criterion - Name: Commercial Cost / Weighting: 20

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

North Herts Council plans to award a below-threshold concession contract to Blink Charging UK Ltd ("Blink", previously EB Charging Ltd) following a variant bid submission, which was articulated in the procurement documents, under the Further Competition of Framework Y21002: Electric Vehicle Charging Points and Associated Services, with internal reference NHDC 202211-03. The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of the single bid received.

The Framework Y21002 allows for such a call-off, and this notice confirms our intention in accordance with regulatory requirements. In response to the Further Competition, Blink submitted a variant bid aligned with paragraphs 2.1.7 and 2.1.10 of the bid Specification. The bid includes a detailed feasibility study for Lots 1 and 2, with updated quotations from the DNO for electricity supply installations. Blink has maximised the number of EV chargepoint sockets to 46 across eight sites, compared to their baseline bid of 32 sockets across the same sites, offering enhanced capacity and service.

The variant bid proposal served as the basis for North Herts Council's successful application to the OZEV ORCS fund, securing a £135,000 grant to support the initiative.

The estimated value of this concession contract, calculated per the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 over the contract's 15-year term, is £2.44m (ex. VAT). This estimate reflects an increase from the initial tender value of £1.715m (ex. VAT), due to the expanded scope and additional benefits provided by the variant bid.

This notice assists with transparency and adherence to statutory requirements before finalising the contract award. The Council has taken appropriate fact-finding steps, sought legal advice, and engaged in reasonable decision-making to ensure due diligence and good faith in reliance on this VTN notice.

A standstill period of 10 days will follow publication of this notice to ensure that any potential challenges can be made before the contract is finalised.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No


Section five. Award of contract/concession

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

14 August 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

BLINK CHARGING UK LIMITED

45 Grosvenor Road, 1st Floor

St. Albans

AL1 3AW

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKH - East of England
Companies House

09444771

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £2,440,000

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £2,440,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Legal

North Hertfordshire District Council, Council Offices, Gernon Road

Letchworth Garden City

SG6 3JF

Country

United Kingdom